Beck: "I've won plenty of races but this is different. This is life-changing."

"I just think it was cool to be the legs to a special lady for three hours," explained Carlisle's Josh Beck.

Beck, 35, a world-class athlete, who has participated (and won) countless races and triathlons, including the Ironman World Championships last month, placed seventh at the Harrisburg Marathon this year, finishing in 2:59:00.14, a pace of 6:50 per mile. While running a "sub-3", or competing a marathon in under three hours, is an accomplishment in itself, Beck ran that time while pushing Donna Mummert in a wheelchair.

Mummert, 54, an accomplished athlete herself, was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease in May. According to the ALS Association, the disease is "a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to their death. When the motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. With voluntary muscle action progressively affected, patients in the later stages of the disease may become totally paralyzed."

Obviously, this was a huge blow to the once-active Mummert. "I can't imagine every thought that goes through her mind because it is a terrible illness. She is literally trapped in her body, the same body that she used to tell to go farther, go faster, you can do it,'" said Beck. However, he describes her heart and spirit as "incredible".

"She knows where she is going after this life and that's the most important thing," he added. Beck noted that Mummert is fortunate to have a crew that assists her with medication and getting around. "I have not seen her down in the dumps, but then again, it's while we are moving on the road and I know that's a thrill for her," said Beck.

Beck and Mummert first met after Beck had graduated college and moved back to the area in 2000. At the time, Beck began coaching local athletes, including Mummert.

"She is a very talented, very skilled athlete. I believe at that time I realized that it was nearly impossible to 'train' Donna, as she did so many different kinds of endurance sports, such as adventure races, triathlons, running, cycling races and so forth, and she did them well. I believe she was training specifically for a long, multi-day adventure race at the time," said Beck. The two become friends, with Mummert attending church with Beck and his wife, Jan, and later running the 2003 Harrisburg Marathon with Jan.

While Beck is a very accomplished athlete, running 26.2 miles while pushing a wheelchair is still quite the athletic endeavor. KC Burkholder, a friend of Beck's, helped create a mobile stroller for Mummert so that Beck could push her during runs. He wanted to "run with her so she could get the wind in her hair again," he said. "I just can't imagine not having that release of exercise and the thrill of moving," he added.

Beck started running with Mummert once per week in May, usually six to ten miles, with hills, he said. "Before Donna, I pushed my little boys for a few years in running races and for naps, so this was a natural progression for me. Even though it might be a challenge, I swear pushing her puts a spring in my step," he said. Beck completed two Ironmans this summer too, and he said he credits running with Mummert and her "super positive attitude" to his success there too.

The first race Beck and Mummert competed in together was the Boiling Springs Triathlon in August. Beck did the swim and run solo, then picked up Mummert for the run. He said the Bucher Hill part of the course was "nuts," but they kept trucking. "It was awesome to push her towards the finish although with all the turns I had to keep my eyes on the road so we didn't crash," he said. The duo finished second to Burkholder, the one who had constructed her mobile stroller. "Those that know me know that I would push Donna all day everyday rather than swim," he joked.

However, pushing the wheelchair for three miles during the triathlon doesn't compare to the marathon last Sunday. Yet, Beck said pushing Mummert only added to the experience. "Nothing is 'hard' when you are pushing a lady with ALS. I mean really, how hard can it be? I have good legs and a strong heart, so we went out there and had fun. I think I felt just as good at mile 25 as I did at five, just because she had a big grin on her face. As long as she was smiling, I could keep running," said Beck.

While the hills of Wildwood Park are known for their difficulty, especially being so late in the race, Beck said Mummert helped him push through. "The hills were really tough, but I heard Donna laughing, so I kept it rolling," he said. "There were so many friends of hers out there it was like pushing a rock star around. The start was a thrill and even though we were bogged down time-wise, it was awesome to have people high-five us," he added.

For Mummert, Wildwood was her favorite part. "I felt so alive, especially throughWildwood. It was like a roller coaster, what a thrill," she said.

Beck described the last four miles, which takes runners along Front Street, as some of the best. He added that Mummert told him, "Let's go!," and that they did.

However, it was the moments before the race were what Beck deemed "really special."

"We had her loaded up in the stroller, I took off my sweatpants and sweatshirt, put on my hat and gloves and we started to roll across the parking lot to the start. I think that's when it dawned on me that she was going to do something really special. I mean, she probably had the pre-race jitters she always had," he said. "We lined up and it was like she just took her normal place in the throngs of runners."

For Beck, competing in this race with Mummert was a no-brainer. "She deserves to get back outside and reconnect with her 'old' self. I know she misses the exercise, the fresh air and the time just being outside and doing something she loves. The stroller and my legs is a way for her to connect her past lifestyle with the current," said Beck.

Beck also stressed how less and less people donate time to others, and that's a true gift. "I was convinced of that when this idea popped into my head," he said. "I love to push myself. When we heard about her diagnosis, I mentioned my idea to Jan and she was all for it. It's an experience that is right up my alley. I get to push myself, but make someone else happy," said Beck.

"I've won plenty of races, but this is different. This is life-changing. That's not to say that I would have won the marathon on my own, because anything can happen any day. Triathlons and the like can be a very time-consuming and I'll say it, selfish, sport but to branch out and use my talents for Donna's benefit is an awesome experience. I realize that not everyone can push an adult in a stroller, but if you get the chance to use your passion of endurance sports to make someone else feel good you should totally do it," he said.

In the past 11 years, Beck has competed in ten world championships, and he said this is the first year that he has finished a season and is not sure what the next year holds. "I've done a ton of cool stuff and I'm sure I'll tackle something next year, but I'm not sure what that is. I'll stay in shape and see what happens," he said.

As for the Beck-Mummert team, the show is far from over. "I think she would race every weekend if we could," he said. Up next, they are planning the Turkey Trot in Carlisle on Thanksgiving and possibly the Nittany Half Marathon in State College in December as well.

"As long as she is warm and can get to the race, I'm game to push her. She has taken a liking to salted caramel GU, so I have to keep stocked up on that too," he added.

Running with Mummert has just confirmed what Beck has always known. "Life is precious," he said.